I am pleased to report to you that as of this past weekend all three defense bills (appropriations, authorization, and military construction) have all passed. The FY05 National Defense Authorization Act and the Defense Military Construction bills should be signed shortly by the President. This is good news for our Army, our Soldiers, and our family members.

As always, if you have any questions on any issue regarding the Army's engagement with Congress or if you need additional information on any of the topics above, please contact OCLL and we will track down an answer. You are a crucial player in the Army's continuing success on Capitol Hill.

Thanks.

(name deleted - ed.)

1. FY05 Ronald Reagan National Defense Authorization Act Highlights:

Increase in Active Army End Strength - To address the Army's manpower shortages and to promote efforts to increase the numbers of modularized brigades, the conference recommended an increase of 20,000 in fiscal year 2005, and a total increase of 30,000 active personnel over five years. In sum, the committee would increase active Army end strengths from the present authorization of 482,400 to 502,400 in 2005, and authorize further increases to 512,400 by 2009. Funding for increases in 2005 are authorized out of supplemental appropriations.

Rapid Acquisition Authority to Respond to Combat Emergencies - The conferees amended Sections 806 of the NDAA for FY 2003 to require the SecDef to use a streamlined acquisition process when combat casualties have occurred, the combatant commander has an urgent need of equipment and delay would cause a continuation of combat fatalities. This process is to be used as a quick start bridge to the normal acquisition process.

M1114 Up-Armor HMMWVs - Conferees authorized an increase of $572 million to increase and sustain production of the vehicles at the required rate of 450 per month.

Electromagnetic Gun - Conferees authorized the $30.2 million of the Army_s Science and Technology effort in pursuit of an electromagnetic gun capability.

Light Utility Helicopter Program - None of the funds authorized to be appropriated for the procurement of light utility helicopters may be obligated or expended until 30 days after the date on which the Secretary of the Army submits to the congressional defense committees a report that contains -

- The Secretary's certification that all required documentation for the acquisition of light utility helicopters has been completed and approved; and

- An Army aviation modernization plan.

Future Combat Systems - $250M reduction from the $3.2B request for the FCS program, which is deemed to be excess to requirements. Program now defined by 7 Program Elements. Summary of Bill Language:

- Limit authorization of appropriations for FCS in FY 2005 to $2.2B until the following is provided to Congress prior to the MS B update:

- An independent program cost estimate (CAIG) (Due 1 Mar 05);

- A report on the maturity levels of critical technologies;

- A report on the status of the network and command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance components (prepared by CIO);

- The key performance parameters

- Also would require the Secretary of the Army to certify that the following requirements are applied to the FCS program (Program Strategy Requirement):

- At the design readiness review, 90 percent of engineering drawings will be releasable to manufacturing;

- Before production facilitization and long lead items are contracted for, the performance of the information network is demonstrated to be acceptable, including the contributions of complementary programs such as the Joint Tactical Radio System and the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical;

- Before the initial production decision, prototypes of each system requirements when integrated with the network.

Title XI - Reduces the number of Active Component Reserve Support soldiers from 5,000 to 3,500 pending satisfactory submission of required reports to Congress.

Basic Military Pay - Authorized a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise(WOOHOO!!!! - ed.) for our men and women in uniform.

Special Pay and Bonuses for Active Duty Members - The conferees authorized extending several special pays and bonuses through December 31, 2005, including:

reenlistment bonus;

enlistment bonus;

retention bonus for service members with critical military skills;

accession bonus for new officers in critical military skills;

aviation officer retention bonuses;

assignment incentive pay;

nuclear career accession bonus;

nuclear career annual incentive bonus;

nurse officer candidate accession bonus;

accession bonus for registered nurses;

incentive special pay for nurse anesthetists;

accession bonus for dental officers; and

accession bonus for pharmacy officers.

Permanent Increases to Imminent Danger Pay and Family Separation Allowance - The conferees continue to recognize the many sacrifices of our service members and their families. Accordingly, they authorized making permanent the increased rates for imminent danger pay, from $150 to $225 per month, and family separation allowance, from $100 to $250 per month.

Eliminating Out-of-Pocket Housing Expenses - Honoring its commitment to eliminate out-of-pocket housing expenses for services members, the conferees authorized $367 million. This marks the final year of a five-year initiative to completely eliminate out-of-pocket expenses.

Housing Allowances - The conferees authorized granting basic housing allowance to service members who elect to leave their families at their previous duty stations while they attend professional military education or training lasting 12 months or less.

Transportation of Family Members to Visit Seriously Injured Service Members - The conferees believe that, especially during times of war, families should be able to visit seriously injured service personnel. Building on last year's improvements to travel provisions, conferees authorized expanding the number of family members that would be entitled to transportation at government expense to visit seriously ill or injured service members. The conferees also authorized family members to receive a per diem or be reimbursed for travel expenses.

Repeal of the Requirement to Pay Subsistence Charges While Hospitalized - Last year, Congress took action to exempt service members injured on the battlefield from paying for their meals while they recuperate in military hospitals. Building on this enhancement, the conferees authorized extending this exemption to all hospitalized military personnel, not just those hospitalized in connection with combat.

Improving Prosecution of Sexual Offenses in the Military - The conferees require the Secretary of Defense to review both the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and Manual for Courts Martial and provide proposed changes in both regarding how sexual offenses are addressed. The conferees also expect that as part of the review, the Secretary will propose changes to more closely conform the Code and the Manual to the federal criminal code dealing with sexual offenses. The Secretary's report, with the rationale for the proposed changes, is due to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees by March 1, 2005. In addition, the conferees understand that DOD is already undertaking a review of sexual assault problems in the military and expect that Dodd's legislative proposal for fiscal year 2006 will include any desirable suggestions for revisions in the UCMJ that relate to sexual assault.

Preventing Sexual Assaults in the Military - The expanded task force, under its new name, the "Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services," would examine sexual assaults in the military and report to Congress within 12 months of its initial meeting on its findings and recommendations. Within 90 days of receiving the task force report, the Secretary of Defense would be required to provide the report and his evaluation to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The Secretary of Defense would also be required to provide those committees an assessment of the effectives of the corrective actions being taken by DOD and the military services.

Military Voters - The conferees authorized military voters and their dependents, who are stationed in the U.S. but absent from their home states, to use federal write-in absentee ballots.

Federal Voting Assistance Program and the Military Postal System - The conferees require the Secretary of Defense to submit reports to Congress on: (1) the actions that the Secretary has taken to ensure that the Federal Voting Assistance Program functions effectively to support absentee voting; (2) the actions that the Secretary has taken to ensure that the military postal system functions effectively to support the morale of military members and their ability to vote by absentee ballot; and (3) the actions taken to implement the recommendations of the Military Postal Service Agency Task Force of August 28, 2000. The reports are due 90 days after enactment of the authorization act.

Military Construction - The conference recommends $10 billion for military construction and family housing, again demonstrating the conference's commitment to addressing inadequate

Troop Housing. The conference recommends $1 billion for the construction of 37 new barracks, dormitories and related facilities to support unaccompanied military personnel.

Military Family Housing. The conference recommends $992.2 million for construction of approximately 3,825 units.

Medical Facilities. The conference recommends $179.9 million for the construction of nine medical facilities.

Advanced Amputee Treatment Program - Approximately 60 to 80 percent of all survivable combat injuries are to limbs, with 20 percent resulting in the need for amputation. The goal of this program is state-of-the-art treatment focused on research in amputee treatment, prosthetics, and rehabilitation to ensure that amputee patients receive the kind of care that will allow them to lead lives unconstrained by their amputation. The conferees strongly support the Army's initiative in establishing the Amputee Patient Care Program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and authorized an increase of $17.9 million to the President's budget for this program.

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